Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting
04/15/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dusty Baker makes his first return trip to Wrigley Field since his four-year stint as manager of the Chicago Cubs tonight, when the new Cincinnati skipper leads the Reds in a three-game series between the National League Central rivals.
Baker led the Cubs to the 2003 NL Central title and within five outs of an appearance in that year's World Series before the club fell to the eventual champion Florida Marlins.
The Cubs posted another winning season in 2004, but stumbled to just 66 wins by his final season in 2006.
Lou Piniella, who managed the Reds to a World Series title in 1990, took over in 2007 and guided the Cubs to another division championship last year.
Ace Aaron Harang starts on the mound for the Reds and looks for his ninth win in his 16th career start against Chicago. He is 8-3 with a 4.44 earned run average in 95 1.3 innings over 15 previous starts versus the Cubs.
In three starts so far in 2008, Harang has allowed 14 hits and five earned runs in 21 innings, picking up a win, a loss and a no decision.
Ex-Red Ryan Dempster starts for Chicago tonight. The 30-year-old native of British Columbia spent part of 2002 and all of 2003 with Cincinnati, going 8-12 in 37 appearances, including 35 starts.
He went to Chicago in 2004 but was limited by injury to just 23 appearances. He returned as the team's closer from 2005-07, posting 85 saves before moving to the starting rotation to begin 2008.
In two starts this season, he's allowed four hits and one earned run in 13 innings, striking out 10 and walking four.
The Reds enter this season after being swept in three games by the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend. In Sunday's finale, Jason Bay hit a three-run homer and Ryan Doumit and Xavier Nady added two-run shots as the Pirates routed Cincinnati, 9-1.
Johnny Cueto (1-1) struggled through six innings of work for Cincinnati, giving up five runs on five hits while striking out six and walking a batter.
Ryan Freel went 2-for-5 with an RBI for Cincinnati, which has dropped five of its last seven overall.
The Cubs salvaged the finale of a three-game series in Philadelphia on Sunday. Ronny Cedeno scored the go-ahead run on Chase Utley's throwing error in the top of the 10th inning as the Cubs squeezed past Philadelphia, 6-5. Bank Park.
Cedeno drew a leadoff walk against Rudy Seanez (0-1), then moved to second on Ryan Theriot's sacrifice bunt. Geovany Soto also drew a free pass, and pinch- hitter Carlos Zambrano grounded to short with what looked like a dead double- play ball. But Utley's relay to first hit the dirt and skipped past Ryan Howard, allowing Cedeno to cross the plate.
Utley doubled off the wall in right in Philadelphia's final at-bat, but So Taguchi grounded out to end the game as Bob Howry picked up his first save.
Kerry Wood (1-0) earned the win for the Cubs with two scoreless frames. It backed a mediocre effort by starter Jason Marquis, who lasted through five innings but gave up two runs on four hits while walking five.
Derrek Lee went 3-for-5 and knocked in a pair of runs for Chicago, while Mark DeRosa added a disputed solo homer. The Cubs have won six of their last eight games overall.
These teams split 18 meetings in 2007, with Cincinnati winning five of the nine matchups held at Wrigley Field.
<< Sharks hope to rebound in Game 4 at Calgary
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The second-seeded San Jose Sharks will try to bounce back
from a rough loss, as they visit the Calgary Flames at the Saddledome
tonight for Game 4 of the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals.
The Sharks scored th
<< Report: Former Sonics owner to sue to get team back
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Seattle SuperSonics owner Howard
Schultz is reportedly planning to sue the current ownership to get the team
back, on the basis that the new owners violated the sale contract by not
making
<< Wild, Avs meet for Game 4 in Denver
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The third-seeded Minnesota Wild will try to grab a three
games to one lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals
tonight, when they visit the Colorado Avalanche for Game 4 at the Pepsi
Center.
Every game i
<< Streaking A's shoot for another Windy City win
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dana Eveland tries for his third impressive outing to start
the season this afternoon, when the Oakland Athletics try to complete a two-
game sweep in their brief series with the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular
Field.
Providence set to hire Drake coach Davis >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Keno Davis has reached a deal to become
the next head coach at Providence, according to FoxSports.com.
An official announcement is expected Tuesday afternoon.
Davis arrives in Providence after just o
Kentucky Derby preps provide few clues >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The favorite in the Santa Anita Derby
finished fifth. The favorite in the Wood Memorial got edged at the wire.
The favorite in the Illinois Derby finished fifth. The favorite in the Blue
Grass Stakes finished
Canadian Football League (CFL) >>
Named Tom Higgins director of officiating.
Memphis' Rose plans on heading to NBA >>
Memphis, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Memphis star Derrick Rose is expected to
enter the NBA draft after playing just one season for the Tigers, according to
The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Rose averaged 14.9 points and 4.7 assists per game
March Madness odds and printable March Madness brackets
With the field of 64/65 set, MySportsbook.com has the Florida Gators as the 4-1 favorite to successfully defend their National Championship. Men’s Division-1 College Basketball has not seen a team repeat as National Champions since Duke won back to back championships in ’91 & ‘92. After losing three out of four late in the season, the Gators are full of momentum as they won their last four games by an average of 18 points. Not surprisingly, right behind the Gators are the other three top seeds: Kansas 5-1, UNC 6-1, and Ohio State 7-1. Many consider Kansas to be the hottest team in the country, having won 11 straight. With Kansas, it is hard to ignore all of the early exits from the “dance” in recent years. With an impressive ACC Tournament, UNC ensured themselves the other top seed. UNC has about as much talent as any other team in the tournament but with a team that’s best players are primarily freshman and sophomores, could youth be a concern. Behind freshman sensation, Greg Oden, OSU will look to do what their football team failed to do just a few months earlier. OSU seems to have peeked at the right time, as they currently have a 17 game winning streak. Since the tournament field was expanded in 1985, there has never been an instance where all four #1 seeds advanced to the Final Four. It is obvious that each of the top seeds have the talent to make it through to Atlanta. But as everyone knows, when makes the NCAA Tournament so special are all of the spoilers and “Cinderella” stories that knock off the favorites on a daily basis.
Be sure to logon to MySportsbook.com to see check out all of the early lines and “March Madness” props. Also be sure to enter the “$10,000,000 Perfect Bracket Contest”. If someone has the skills to predict every winner, they will be set for life and walk away with $10,000,000. Even if no one can cash in on the Grand Prize, with a $35,000 guaranteed prize pool and a Mazda RX-8 to the first prize winner, Sportsbook.com’s bracket is a must for all “March Madness” fans.
MySportsbook.com’s odds to win the Championship and Regions:
| EAST | National Championship | Region |
| Arkansas | 300-1 | 50-1 |
| Belmont | 1000-1 | |
| Boston College | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| Eastern KY | 1000-1 | |
| George Washington | 75-1 | |
| Georgetown | 10-1 | 3-2 |
| Marquette | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| Michigan State | 100-1 | 25-1 |
| New Mexico St. | 500-1 | 200-1 |
| UNC | 6-1 | 6-5 |
| Oral Roberts | 500-1 | |
| Texas | 15-1 | 5-1 |
| Texas Tech | 200-1 | 5-1 |
| USC | 75-1 | 20-1 |
| Vanderbilt | 100-1 | 30-1 |
| Washington State | 40-1 | 15-1 |
| WEST | ||
| Duke | 50-1 | 10-1 |
| Florida A&M | 1000-1 | |
| Gonzaga | 200-1 | 40-1 |
| Holy Cross | 300-1 | |
| Illinois | 300-1 | 60-1 |
| Indiana | 75-1 | 40-1 |
| Kansas | 5-1 | 13-10 |
| Kentucky | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| Niagara | 1000-1 | |
| Pittsburgh | 40-1 | 8-1 |
| Southern Ill. | 50-1 | 12-1 |
| UCLA | 10-1 | 3-2 |
| VCU | 500-1 | 100-1 |
| Villanova | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| VA Tech | 50-1 | 15-1 |
| Weber St | 1000-1 | |
| Wright St | 1000-1 | 300-1 |
| MIDWEST | ||
| Arizona | 50-1 | 30-1 |
| Butler | 40-1 | 30-1 |
| Davidson | 300-1 | |
| Florida | 4-1 | 4-5 |
| Georgia Tech | 75-1 | 25-1 |
| Jackson State | 1000-1 | |
| Maryland | 30-1 | 6-1 |
| Miami-OH | 300-1 | |
| Notre Dame | 100-1 | 20-1 |
| ODU | 500-1 | 100-1 |
| Oregon | 40-1 | 6-1 |
| Purdue | 300-1 | 60-1 |
| Texas A&M CC | 1000-1 | |
| UNLV | 100-1 | 30-1 |
| Winthrop | 500-1 | 100-1 |
| Wisconsin | 15-1 | 7-2 |
| SOUTH | ||
| Albany | 200-1 | |
| BYU | 200-1 | 40-1 |
| Central CT St. | 1000-1 | |
| Creighton | 100-1 | 35-1 |
| Long Beach St. | 500-1 | 200-1 |
| Louisville | 40-1 | 10-1 |
| Memphis | 30-1 | 4-1 |
| Nevada | 75-1 | 35-1 |
| North Texas | 500-1 | |
| Ohio State | 7-1 | 6-5 |
| Penn | 500-1 | |
| Stanford | 200-1 | 50-1 |
| Tennessee | 100-1 | 20-1 |
| Texas A&M | 12-1 | 11-5 |
| Virginia | 75-1 | 18-1 |
| Xavier | 100-1 | 40-1 |
About MySportsbook.com MySportsbook.com is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.
To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.
Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?
I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.
There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.
Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.
For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.
A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.
The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.
Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.
So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.
Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.
“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.
Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.
“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.
It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.
Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.
The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.
“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.
“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”
Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.
The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.
“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”
Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?
“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting